Samuel b



(No Model.)

s. B'. JEROME. METALLIC RAILWAY TIB. No'. 379,812. Patented Mam. 18, 1888.'

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

SAMUEL B. JEROME, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METALLIC RAiLWAY-TIE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,312, dated March 13, 1888.

Application filed May 18, 1887.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, SAMUEL B. JEROME, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Metallic Railway-Tie, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Y

The object of my invention is to provide a metallic railway cross-tie which shall be of light weight and cheap, and also possess the requisite strength and be elastic to permit the track to .yield under passing trains in a manner not greatly diferent from the common wooden tie's.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specilication,in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the ligures.

Figure l is a perspective view of a metallic shell which I use in constructing my new tie. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the complete tie, showing rails secured thereon; and Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line .fc .fr of Fig. 2.

In making my new metallic railway-tie I take a sheet of metal, iron or steel, aboutonesixteenth of an inch thickness and of the proper length, and by means of dies and tools bend or draw the plate to form the shell A, and the edges are locked or riveted together to retain the shell always at the exact size and shape desired. The shell may be made by drawing the iron or steel in the form of a tube or cylinder, and by means of suitable dies and tools shaped to the form and size required, preferably square in cross-section. The interior of the shell thus made will be packed with shredded wood,(excelsior,) or with dried grass, straw, sawdust, or any other suitable material, as shown at B, to have any required degree of density, securing all necessary strength for support of the track and load. A small proportion of sand may be used with the packing, if additional weight for the ties is desirable.

The uppersurface of the shell will be pierced with holes a a, through which the bolts or spikes b b will be turnedor driven to secure the rails C C in exact position upon the tie. Under the upper su rface ofthe shell is placed a strip of wood, D, of suitable dimensions-- Serial No. 5238.691. (No model.)

say six feet long, three inches wide, bytwo inches deep-which is held in position by the interior packing, B, and by the bolts, screws, or spikes b,which are turned or driven into the strip D, which will hold the rails firmly and securely in their proper place.

The ends of the shells A will be lilled for a short distance-say two or three inches-with a suitable block, E, of wood, plastic cement, or other material to prevent water, moisture, and the action of the atmosphere from injuriously influencing the interior of the shell or the packing of the same.l

The exterior of the tie will be coated witha heat, water, and oxygen-proof paint, securing prolonged service and durability of the tie, and the packing B may be creosoted or otherwise treated to prevent it from decay. The tie made as described will have a slight degree of compressibility, overcoming the tendency incident to the ordinary timber tie of becoming loosened in the road-bed.

The inherent elasticity of the tie will com- 'pel an immediate return to its normal power are in use upon a hard and rigid roadbed.

The elastic quality of the tie will greatly prolong the service and the durability of the road beds Vand of rolling'stock, besides im` mensely increasing the comfort of passengers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A cross-tie having a shell and elastic packing with au interior strip of wood, as described, and for the purpose specified.

2. A cross -tie having a shell with elastic packing and with a strip of wood, also having the ends sealed, as described, and for the purpose specified.

SAMUEL B. JEROME.

Vitnesses:

H. A. WEST, C. SEDGWICK. 

